Jimmy Urine
Category: Electro / New Wave
Album: The Secret Cinematic Sounds of Jimmy Urine
Stars: 4.5
Blurb: The first solo record from Mindless Self Indulgence’s Jimmy Urine shares the same influences that can be found in VNV Nation, Mind.in.a.Box, and Stranger Things, and it all works together in a neon colored trip down memory lane that allows the MSI front man to grow and pay tribute.

For over 20 years, Jimmy Urine has been the front man for Mindless Self Indulgence, a band that defies genre, bucks the mainstream, and incites the rebelliousness of youth – even in fans who might now have kids of their own. With Mindless Self Indulgence on a break, Jimmy has assembled a collection of his soundtrack work, the substance of which has never been timelier. With the rise of retro music genres and video games, Urine’s playground has never been more full of toys. In addition to scoring video games such as Metronomicon and The Hive, Urine is also featured in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

The Secret Cinematic Sounds of Jimmy Urine marks his first solo release and is an assembly of soundtrack work and new solo tracks that feature a combination of hallmark MSI-mania coupled with chiptunes and John Carpenter. The opening track, “Fighting with the Melody” is written from a video game villain’s point of view and is an electro romp that deftly wanders into pop music territory and back out again, sure to get feet moving and heads bobbing. The tracks to follow are chiptunes injected with energy and infused with flash and spark like Sonic the Hedgehog’s Oil Ocean level on LSD. “End Boss” stands out as a dance floor killer for kids who cut their teeth on Contra and Streets of Rage, a tumultuous romp with screeching synths and an underlying coil-whine that spins into a climax of 16-bit triumph.

“All Together Friends Forever” is a sudden reminder that this is, after all, a Jimmy Urine record, and snaps us into a fairytale land of joy and friendship that’s slowly being undermined by the impending thunder of a synthesizer. “Patty Hearst” is probably one of the most powerful tracks on the record as it swings away from the noise and fever pitch to focus on delivering something that sounds like a sweet tribute to Tangerine Dream and demonstrates Urine’s ability to be more than a parody, a good joke, or a closed fist; rather that underneath the spiked hair and larger-than-life persona, there’s a kid who loves the soundtracks for Legend, Blade Runner, and The NeverEnding Story. “Not for Me” continues that trend by sounding like someone melted Labyrinth and The Psychedelic Furs together, a well constructed throwback that’s accessible and timeless.

“Aching Addicted Affection Again” is another standout track that channels Vangelis and feels like the backdrop for a moment of Kairos, (Kairos being from the Greek meaning “the Supreme Moment” where important things happen). “Salome” makes a terrific follow-up and helps solidify Urine’s skills as being more than just a one trick pony – sweet, endearing, and calm, the track further testifies to the diversity in talent on offer throughout the record.

Amidst the varied palette comes a rendition of Beethoven’s second movement from Symphony No. 7 Allegretto that sounds like it’d be perfectly at home on the soundtrack to A Clockwork Orange or a John Carpenter film. “Available on Betamax” returns to the neon tinted streets that the beginning of the record threw the listener onto and is a pleasant audio experience. “Based on a True Story” finishes the record with dense, fuzzy synth that sets the stage for a credit sequence that never arrives.

The Secret Cinematic Sounds of Jimmy Urine is a passion project and it shows. It doesn’t always work out when artists attempt to create in tribute or admiration for their influences as it can end up gaudy or messy, but Jimmy Urine’s unbridled enthusiasm shines through every track, which means that none of them feel like filler. The record feels familiar yet fresh and delivers a terrific audio experience that speaks volumes for Urine’s character, despite only one track featuring his signature vocals. This album is only the beginning and it’s only a matter of time before Jimmy Urine and his work become a lot more prominent and help nudge a handful of subcultures closer to the surface. This is an album you can’t afford to miss.

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